Title

Authors

Publication Date

1-1-2004

Degree Name

MA in Conflict Transformation

First Advisor

Nora Femenia

Abstract

Conflict has devastating effects for the web of human relationships that makes life possible and meaningful. In order to reconstruct societies, people need to consider that the process of reconciliation is possible within all human beings and their relationships. Reconciliation is what makes us compassionate and human. Our relationships with other people and our surroundings are the most challenging part of our lives, for some reason we always face difficulties with people we care for and vice versa. Also, major global conflicts occur between two neighboring countries or between nations with much similarity. For example, if we look at the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the conflict in this country occurred between two nations, Serbs and Bosnians, who lived for hundreds of years together, in mixed communities and marriages and even spoke the same language. But their conflict started over power and land, and it escalated to become the worst case of conflict after the Second World War in Europe.

Another example would be the conflict in Cyprus. The two nationalities Greek Cypriots and Turk Cypriots lived together in the island of Cyprus for years and despite their different ethnic backgrounds, they have many cultural similarities. The conflict in Cyprus escalated in 1974 and since then the island is divided and under the observance of United Nations troops. Finally, the concrete example is the conflict in Kosovo, between the Kosovar Albanians and Slav Serbs. These two nations lived together for hundreds of years but they were caught within the circle of violence and ended up in long periods of conflict, hatred and violence.

Disciplines

International and Area Studies | International and Intercultural Communication | Politics and Social Change

Recommended Citation

Visoka, Leonora, "The Cycle of Violence and the Cycle of Reconciliation in Kosova" (2004). Capstone Collection. 1461.
http://digitalcollections.sit.edu/capstones/1461